


I promise I'll be all you need.

by kaidoripropaganda



Series: akane + relationship studies. [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: F/M, Idiots in Love, Post-Canon, Relationship Study, oh how much I love my comfort ship what can I say
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:00:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26368339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaidoripropaganda/pseuds/kaidoripropaganda
Summary: akane is beginning to realize that sometimes you meet the best people even in the worst situations. the gymnast lets herself get attached for the first and last time in her life. [ relationship study of akane and nekomaru throughout the second game and after. ]
Relationships: Nidai Nekomaru/Owari Akane, references to fuyupeko and bandaid to but super brief
Series: akane + relationship studies. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1913356
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	I promise I'll be all you need.

**Author's Note:**

> how could I not write my favourite comfort pairing of all time, my sports gay heart just thrives seeing how wholesome and sweet and honest these two are with eachother. criminally underrated.
> 
> ft. my akane redesign as always because I am getting attached to it deeply. if you guys read my previous fic with gundham + akane this is kind of the same shit but akanidai because they deserve more fics !!

* * * 

It had been a day since the second island's bridge had opened, everyone seemed interested in exploring however Akane and Nekomaru clearly had other ideas.

Byakuya and Teruteru's death had affected everyone, including them however Akane seemed the least distraught. 

Part of her still didn't understand the whole ordeal, believing it was purely fiction while the other half refused to care—her one rule even as a child was not to remember names or any kind of backstory, that meant attachment and attachment meant she would get hurt.

_But damn, now we won't have a chef!_

Akane decided the best way to take out her emotions was to duel and train with Nekomaru over at the new beach.

When they had first met she remembered how respectful and polite he had been realizing there was an athlete in his presence.

He already seemed like a good guy to begin with but her being the Ultimate Gymnast seemed to seal the deal. 

They had decided to begin sitting together during group lunches or dinners, slowly building some kind of relationship with one another. Akane at first wasn't interested, laughing at the idea of him being a mentor or coaching figure to her.

 _"I don't like being told what to do old man,"_ she would tell him loud and clear before he would stare her down, challenging that stubborn pride of hers.

Akane had been knocked off her perch.

She dismissed him, immediately leaving the restaurant bitter that someone would ever challenge her thoughts, her own image of herself. 

The gymnast knew in the back of her head that everything he said definitely had _some_ meaning behind it.

He was the Ultimate Team Manager after all wasn't he? 

Her stubbornness had led to sparks and sparks led to asking him to train her, for them to spar and fight as opponent's, head on. 

Ibuki had watched their first physical match head on, the musician had screamed loud enough to get Hajime running over to their location.

Both of them had witnessed the one sided beatdown for themselves, Hajime confused as to why they would ever want to inflict violence on one another.

_"It's training!"_

_"Damnit, he's stronger than I thought,"_ Akane had whispered as she gripped her shoulder, completely shaken up from the fight though she refused to let it show through. 

The gymnast had wobbled away, promising Nekomaru that this wouldn't be the last time the two would fight.

Akane tied her denim jacket around her waist as she entered the restaurant, trying to look for some first aid or Mikan, all she wanted was some sports tape or even bandages—just for her wrists.

Mikan must have went looking for Ibuki as usual, the two were hardly ever spotted without one another on the island.

She had managed to snag some from the various first aid kits layered around the lobby before heading out back outside to the beach near their cottages. 

Minutes passed in silence before she heard footsteps traveling through the sandy shore. Her nose wrinkled as she realized it was Nekomaru.

She held up her hand not even having to look behind her to see who it would be.

"I'm fine old man," the gymnast commented with a laugh before she ripped the sports tape open, biting on it with her teeth to rip it in large pieces. 

"I know that, you're not weak, you're one of the strongest opponents I've faced," he admitted earnestly as he sat near her on the shore.

Akane scratched her chin, unable to come up with an appropriate response as she began to wrap her wrists tightly. 

"You need to improve on certain things but you're already worthy of respect and praise especially as an athlete, you're the Ultimate Gymnast aren't you?" 

Akane laughed.

"Yeah but I don't give a damn about Gymnastics." 

Nekomaru glanced over at her, impressed that she seemed so firm in her statement. 

"You're an athlete whose not completely devoted to their sport? That sounds familiar…" 

Akane rolled her eyes.

"You have no idea what world I come from, Gymnastics was never an intention of mine, I love fighting, I love winning but I don't love getting into leotards and being judged on my positioning or how well I do flips." 

Nekomaru frowned, disappointed that she had such little care and regard for a sport that she had clearly been good enough to get accepted into Hope's Peak Academy for.

"Gymnastics is a beautiful sport, it takes a lot of skill, precision and grace, it's a sport full of talent and competition." 

She scoffed.

"Gymnastics was my way to earn money, it wasn't a matter of pride."

Akane groaned aloud, struggling with the sports tape on her other wrist as Nekomaru bent over, asking if she wanted help with that.

"Hell no, I can do things on my own you know," she spit at him before he insisted, the two glaring at each other for a moment in utter silence before Akane felt her stomach burning up. 

She gave in.

"Fine, fine…" 

He gently took her wrist, ripping the tape as he made sure to delicately wrap all of her wrist comfortably within the nude coloured tape.

"How you talk about Gymnastics, it explains why your fighting is so half assed at times, you have all the will power and strength in the world but you'll never beat me or anyone for that matter if you aren't using every part of yourself." 

Akane wanted to stand up and leave, not drawn by his attempts at making conversation with her but she knew what he was saying as always had some kind of weight to it.

"You don't gotta talk to me like one of your players you know," she muttered as he stopped speaking, clearly dismissing any attempt at a relationship with her.

They sat together in silence as Nekomaru finished, handing her the leftover pack of tape as she grinned, adjusting her shorts as she placed it in her pocket. 

He stood up, saying his goodbyes to her before Akane felt something in her gut shake, she felt her heart on the edge of the line for some odd reason.

"Wait, Nekomaru," she yelled, impressed that she had managed to remember his name after such a short time with one another.

He turned, confused as to what she wanted to ask.

"I still want a rematch." 

Nekomaru cackled.

"You're very determined, I like you Akane." 

* * * 

_"This is all the future foundation's fault…"_

_"They're the ones who stuck us in this messed up world…"_

Akane felt her entire body begin to collapse, her fingers gripped the podium stand rails beside her hands as she slipped further and further into darkness.

Was this despair? 

This feeling of weakness, her heart and stomach stopping suddenly as she began to sweat rapidly—was this some kind of _physical_ reaction? 

She remembered having despair disease what seemed like forever ago, having to be nursed back to health by Mikan who ended up later killing two of their friends. 

Akane remembered feeling utterly helpless, needing someone by her side constantly, she remembered the uncontrollable sobs that left her mouth every minute. 

Every thought began to be completely clouded by a grey sky of nothingness, she heard yells from Makoto, Byakuya and Kyouko however all she could hear was her own heart pounding.

She heard Junko's laughter: the malicious intent behind all of her words, all that she had subjected them to, all that she had dropped on them. 

_Hopeless._

_I'm weak._

The sinking feeling made her completely pass out, she felt her entire body and brain shut down, she couldn't move.

She started thinking about all that had happened, all the friends she had made, all the emotions she had felt bad or good from the apparent simulation.

They can't just forget about it can they? 

_We can't forget everything our friends died for can we? This is why we're trying to fight?_

"Weak...weak…" she felt herself whisper in complete darkness, it felt like she was drowning, _choking_ in a sea of her own thoughts.

_No. I'm stronger than all of this aren't I?_

The darkest corners of her mind seemed to meet before she felt a weird kind of breakthrough. 

The gymnast stared at her surroundings, everything had seemed to disappear around her, there was no one around, had she died? She must've been running out of time.

She took in a deep breath, staring at the floor before she looked up, her eyes widening the moment she met eyes with something utterly incomparable.

Akane clutched her heart, unable to process what she was imagining or seeing.

"Coach… coach?" She repeated quietly, unable to get out the proper words to encapsulate her own emotions in the moment. 

He was there, he had no injuries, he looked exactly like he had when they had all first been taken to the island—it was as if nothing was wrong, that this entire game hadn't happened.

There was so much to say and so many emotions to let out yet the only thing she could muster out was a stupid question.

"Is this my imagination?" 

Nekomaru chuckled, his hands crossed as he eyed the gymnast.

"You need to snap out of it," he said firmly, the two of them maintaining eye contact, Akane refusing to even blink in his presence. 

"This isn't the athlete that I knew back on the island, you're really gonna let all your friends fall into a slump like that?" 

Akane stammered, rubbing her shoulders feeling the conversation shift immediately.

"Nekomaru…" 

"I know you Akane," he said with a soft smile across his face, Akane immediately feeling a warm flush across her cheeks. She slapped her own shoulder, she couldn't get distracted.

_Pull yourself together Owari._

"I know exactly how capable you are," he continued, cocking a brow at the woman in front of him as if they were back on Chandler Beach, teasing each other before a spar.

"Where's that strong headed, brave, meddlesome athlete I got to see everyday?" 

Akane sighed, "I don't know, this is all too much," she cried out, on the brink of tears as she stared at him. "You… you're right in front of me and yet I can't say all I need to."

His expression softened at her response before he sighed, closing his eyes for a brief moment before laughing.

'You never gave up for a physical fight. Are you gonna suddenly give up when you have everything to prove? You always said you wanted the strongest opponent didn't you?" 

"Yeah of course I—" 

"You're your own opponent in this game, the despair you're feeling, it's all a trick. Who ever said you can't create your own future?"

Everything in Akane's brain seemed to click suddenly as if she now understood exactly what she needed to do; as if a boulder had been knocked off her shoulders.

"Are you gonna give up?" 

"No…"

Nekomaru huffed, a grin across his face, the team manager cracking his knuckles as he pointed towards the gymnast.

"Louder! You should know better of all people to project what you really want to say!" 

Akane felt the corner of her lips begin to pull into a smile as she screamed her response back, loud enough for them both to laugh. 

"One more time, you're my athlete after all," the team manager yelled back before Akane cupped her hands around her mouth to act as an amplifier.

"I will never give up, I will believe in myself!" 

They both smiled at one another, Akane biting her lip as she felt everything begin to disintegrate around her. 

"Wait coach," she yelled, determined to finally say something after holding everything in. 

"Thank you, thank you for everything." 

He smiled.

_"I'll always be there for you, no matter what."_

Those were the last words she heard before everything fell apart once more, she regained vision as she realized she was suddenly back in that damn class trial room.

She shook her head, refusing to believe that this would be their ending, their future of all options. 

The gymnast ran a hand through her hair before she regained clear focus, looking over to Hajime who pointed towards Junko.

_"This is the end!"_

* * * 

"Evening," Soda hummed as he noticed Akane walk into the restaurant for dinner. 

"You're pretty late, don't know whether to be impressed or worried," Fuyuhiko added as she pulled up a chair beside her two closest friends with a sigh. 

Everyone who had been awake seemed to still be around the restaurant besides Mahiru who often slept early anyway and Ibuki she had seen strumming away on her guitar at the beach.

Only Gundham, Ibuki and Mahiru had yet to awaken from their comatose state; the survivours, Byakuya and Naegi had spent hours theorizing a decent list of who would wake up next but their theories always seemed to go haywire.

First they assumed it would be in order then the breeder had awoken before them all, just as confused and shocked as the rest of them. 

Then there was Hajime's theory it could be by those who suffered the least amount of damage from their murders or executions but then Mahiru had woken up with immense, lingering head trauma.

All of them, even the survivours, had woke up with some kind of physical changes bad or good.

Akane remembered waking up with her immediate response being horrifically screaming before Soda and Hajime ran over to calm her down. 

Then came the tears and then came the fact she had starved herself and then came throwing up in front of everyone for what seemed like hours. 

It was true, on any normal occasion she'd be the first person to come to the restaurant to eat any time of the day and the last one to leave, stuffing herself until humanly impossible.

Teruteru had yet to awaken from his comatose and she still, most times, would run once the time came for their various scheduled breakfasts, lunches or dinners. 

The gymnast shrugged, trying to keep her spirits up.

"Didn't feel like eating, my gut feels real weird, it's been grinding my gears ever since I woke up this morning," she admitted nervously, licking her lips as she spoke.

Her gut had predicted almost every murderer and twist of fate while in the simulation immediately, perhaps it deserves some respect to its name.

"That means something will happen soon," Soda observed as Fuyuhiko huffed, adding that he could use a certain someone waking up right about now.

Akane frowned, rubbing his shoulder as she looked down at the table before her; her mind rushing with fantasies.

"Me too," she sighed before she shook her head, not wanting to think about her own delusional ideas at the moment. 

"Soon dude, keep your head up, they're all gonna wake up eventually right?" Soda asked optimistically as Fuyuhiko stayed silent, taking another sip of the water he had beside him.

Akane felt her stomach growl, her nose seemed to lift every few seconds to smell the baked goods over to her left.

"I think I may change my mind," she grinned before she finally let the scent of the baked goods finally entice her enough to walk over to the table scattered with food.

Not having Teruteru yet meant the Future Foundation provided various food items and catering for the moment, soon they hoped to have the chef back to make things just a bit easier on their part.

She had barely sat down with her friends for twenty minutes before Hajime had immediately stood up. Her eyes followed curiously considering he had been sitting only on the other side of the large table.

Sonia, currently on night shift for the pods seemed to be trying to call through the walkie talkies that Soda had built for them. 

They had all decided early on that it would be the best way to communicate and change shifts as needed, to inform everyone at the same time.

"Sonia? Is someone awake?" 

Akane had yet to get used to the spilt eye colours Hajime had going on since he had woken up from the killing game but he definitely rocked the half green, half red look.

Soda glanced up, hoping that some good news would finally come for Akane or Fuyuhiko who had been patiently for _weeks_.

Hajime held the walkie talkie close to his ears, turning away from everyone, Akane assumed that she felt the need to be quiet since it was night time for everyone on the island.

His eyes widened.

They all stood silent, it always turned into some kind of dramatic event whenever _anyone_ phoned in from the walkie talkies to try and share information.

Hajime's gaze snapped directly to stare at Akane as he spoke into the walkie talkie, the gymnast was confused at first.

"Nekomaru is awake."

_Oh my god._

Akane felt her eyes twitch, her body wanted to collapse right on the floor, Soda and Fuyuhiko whipped their heads around to look at the gymnast knowing this is what she had been hoping for.

"Fuck," she whispered with her hands shaking by her side. 

Before Hajime even had the chance to speak Akane had already jumped out of her seat, immediately racing down the stairs, she had _never_ run so fast in her entire life.

"Akane!" Hajime tried to yell but by the time he had even spoken up she was already in the lobby, sprinting.

She didn't have time to process anything, not what she would say, not what she _wanted_ to say—she simply let her emotions completely take over as she ran and ran to her destination.

_He's awake? No._

_This is a joke isn't it?_

Despite her tangents she kept running until she reached the facility the Future Foundation had put in place for research and storing their comatose bodies.

Her body seemed to crash into the door as she stopped right in front of the damn door handle. She didn't know why she felt such a sudden need to turn back.

Why was she nervous to see him? 

She had wanted to see him since he had been brutally murdered in that battle with Gundham, she had dreamt of this moment for weeks, for _months._

"You're not stopping now Owari, get it together," she cursed at herself before she gripped the door handle and pulled it open with as much force as she could muster, practically flying through the door. 

She caught her breath looking for the room where all of their pods were kept, noticing the door was already open as it almost always was. 

"Where's coach," she yelled far too loud for her own good as she caught herself from tripping right across the floor.

"Akane!" 

She recognized the voice as Sonia's, she must've sprinted over in a record time but her attention was on nobody except _him_.

The moment their eyes met the gymnast felt the entire world stop. She felt a stabbing pain in her chest, she couldn't tell if she was about to have a heart attack or just collapse on the floor.

He looked the same besides a few scars across his arm and a slight height adjustment; he looked a few pounds lighter but they all were when they first woke up.

Akane felt her breath hitch.

"N...Nekomaru?" 

Her voice was quiet, if the room wasn't completely silent neither him or Sonia probably would've heard a thing.

The newly awoken team manager nodded, as if to reassure her that this indeed wasn't some kind of cruel trick or joke she was being put up to.

"Akane…" 

His arms instinctively opened, as if he was telling her to be near him, to not stray so far away from him.

Akane took a step back, horrified.

"Old man… this isn't…" 

She looked at Sonia, the princess nodding quietly, her hands clasped together as if she was awaiting for his return and her reaction to said resurrection.

"Akane, _please_." 

The moment he flashed that signature, sweet smile she felt her eyes water right on impact, tears flowing down her cheeks at an increasingly steady rate as she ran over to him.

Akane let herself melt in his embrace, the two hugging tightly and silently, the gymnast felt herself finally break the moment they touched each other; it was pathetic but the gymnast was convinced that this was a valid reaction after all they had been through together. 

She heard footsteps, assuming it was the others who had caught up but Sonia seemed to be shushing them away, as if to say come back later when Akane and Nekomaru had their time alone, _together_.

The only sounds being heard were Akane's muffled sobbing in his chest and their heartbeats in sync. 

"I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry," she kept repeating, everything slipping from her mouth at an increasingly steady rate. 

"You died because of me, you sacrificed yourself for me, you did everything for me and I could never even thank you," she added as she choked on sobs.

Every apology, every thought, everything seemed to escape her lips as she felt a hand gently run through her recently washed and dried hair.

"Akane please." 

He had yet to say anything else but Akane couldn't blame him, there wasn't enough time to say what they wanted to say to one another.

"Where's the confident, blunt, headstrong athlete that trained with me and always defended her friends? I missed her a lot," Nekomaru said trying to cheer her up, showing vulnerability was always welcome but he couldn't take her crying.

He didn't even expect her to cry.

The gymnast smiled gently.

Akane hated crying, she had always felt weak for doing so but it seemed full circle to cry over his sacrifice, his death and now his return. 

It was if he was her weakness, they all knew that to be true for both of them but the gymnast had refused to think about it any further until now. 

Her refusal of attachment had bit her in the ass.

"I missed you old man," she whimpered, refusing to let go of him, the grip she had on him only seemed to tighten before he 

"I'm here, I promise, there's no need to choke me," he joked with a meager laugh, Akane comforted by the sounds of his familiar, boisterous behaviour. 

"I know, I know…" 

His face glanced at their feet before he glanced directly at her, his hand moving subtly before he managed to hold a firm grip of her hand. 

The whole time Sonia had just been guarding the door, watching them and looking outside to make sure they had their private moment, Akane needed to thank her later.

She felt just a bit embarrassed the princess had watched her break down into submission however she had also watched her do the same when he had died in the funhouse.

Their fingers danced with one another before the team manager finally interlocked their hand out of comfort, their crying seemed to be quieting by the minute as their smiles grew wider.

"It's good to see you again." 

Nekomaru chuckled.

"I could say that and a lot more."

Sonia clapped, startling Akane who was still being held by Nekomaru, who laughed happily at her antics. She apologised before smiling widely walking over to the couple, wanting to also get her word in.

"Reunited at long last!" 

* * * 

Akane stared out at the shore, the two gazing at what laid beyond the waves in comfortable silence. 

It was out of character for them both but it was quite a welcome circumstance considering all that had dealt with together. 

Their once, usual boisterous energy had completely seemed to disappear once they had been reunited after the simulation; the moment that Nekomaru had woken up from his comatose state Akane's entire personality seemed to shift for good and bad.

The gymnast knew that she'd always have a part of herself, the part that was reckless and brave and nothing but courageous but she knew that now she was a different person after surviving the killing game. 

They had spent most of the day training and being at the restaurant, letting the others do their usual exploring—Ibuki had come to watch them spar as she usually did, it reminded Akane how Ibuki had been there since day one to watch their beatdowns.

_"What a bunch of battle loving troublemakers!"_

Sitting on the shore, right under one of the palm trees, felt like a good way to spend their night and if it was just the two of them Akane couldn't possibly complain.

He had been awake for over a week and things were beginning to finally seem normal again for Akane, she had gotten her usual motivation and desire to eat back and she finally had her training partner back.

She finally had her _friend_ back. 

Akane didn't know how long she was staring at the sky with wandering, wide eyes but it must have been a while before the moment she looked at him he seemed utterly content staring directly at _her_.

"Hey…" she mumbled, her voice hoarse as she felt a soft red flush appear across her cheeks as she saw the soft smile he had been staring at her with.

"You look so happy, it's very relaxing to see you around me." 

She looked away, laughing slightly though the flush on her face only built and built. She had wanted this right? She had wanted for them to be together in _that_ way?

"I missed you."

The gymnast sighed.

"Me too…" 

Now seemed like the time to sort things out while they were alone and in a good mood.

"Listen… we need to finally talk about us old man."

"Akane…" 

"Just tell me what you want, I'm not gonna ask again," she admitted with a slight bite in her voice.

The gymnast was determined to piece together what their relationship was supposed to be after constant teasing from the others and their own interactions.

"I can't… I can't just sit here and act dumb anymore, I'm not gonna act like I wasn't a complete wreck without you y'know," she began, her eyes watering as images of his dismembered, mechanic, body flashed before her eyes.

"Akane," he spoke up quietly, as if he didn't want to admit what he was truly thinking at the moment to her.

"The fact you're alive, that you're with me right now, damnit, I'm not gonna get another chance, this is real life now," she ranted, now going off on her own track as she felt her heart lodge in her throat.

_Should I say it…_

_Well, I've waited this long._

"I… I love you… Nekomaru." 

She stared selfishly at his face, their eyes locked in a tense gaze as she tried to pick apart his reaction, any change in his expression—she noticed nothing. 

The manager blinked in response, as if he had just completely filtered out whatever she had just told him.

Akane opened her mouth but nothing came out, she felt her heart pounding out of her own chest.

She turned away, utterly embarrassed.

"Forget it… I knew it," she muttered under her breath before she felt a hand lay on top of her own in the sand. 

"Akane…"

There was more tense silence before Akane felt her gut completely take over all other senses in her body; she felt herself throw her hands around his neck and press their lips together. 

She expected her blunt move to be responded with a light shove away however, to her much delighted surprise he kissed back.

He kissed back _hard._

Akane couldn't exactly time how long the kiss lasted however she felt herself flush heavily as they separated, their eyes lingering.

"I love you to..." 

She grinned at his confession as their fingers interlocked, their foreheads pressed together as if they were some disgustingly cheesy couple in a cinema film.

"Not bad for the girl with no patience," she joked with a chuckle before Nekomaru kissed her hand, embarrassed and uncharacteristically quiet about the whole ordeal.

"Well, I always suspected that something would need to happen eventually." 

Akane looked up, confused.

"What do you mean old man?" 

Nekomaru dusted off some of the sand that had spread to his pants, he assumed it was from when Akane had jumped on him to kiss him.

"I mean us," he began before he saw Akane tilt her head even more confused. "We always had a good relationship, you and I, where that relationship stood was what I had been trying to figure out…" 

Akane rubbed her shoulders, unable to come up with a good way to respond, right now did not feel like a good time to tell him all of the thoughts and desires she had during their time in the simulation. 

"I don't know how to answer that old man, I mean I just kissed you, I feel like that's a pretty clear message," she spoke disappointed, praying that she hadn't made a giant mistake and wasn't about to get some kind of friend-zoned pep talk.

"I'm just worried, I just don't want you to depend on me," he admitted before adding how he had gone into that battle with Gundham praying for her survival, for her to make it out. "Self sufficiency will always be important for an athlete, I don't want to take up all of your mind all the time." 

The gymnast's hands shook out of anger, he didn't understand.

"Stop it… stop," she whispered. "I waited so long for you, I waited not knowing if you'd even wake up or not." 

Nekomaru sighed.

"I'm aware, I heard all about how much you yelled at Gundham over my sake," he admitted with a sharp tone in his voice, Akane flushed furiously not wanting to be reminded of how harshly she had gone off on the breeder who had _just_ woken up.

"Hey, I was angry as hell, nothing I could do about that," she shrugged it off, knowing that their relationship was somewhat better and at least not a bunch of angry glances anymore. 

Nekomaru must've noticed the utter heartbreak in her expression once they had started discussing their relationship fate because Akane felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Akane, of course I want to be by your side, that's not a question," he admitted as the gymnast felt a small grin surface across her lips.

_We're getting somewhere with this._

"Whether that's as your manager like we planned beforehand or as something different is up to you." 

Akane laughed wildly.

"I mean I would think making out with you at night, on the beach where we first trained together, would kind of paint the picture," she chuckled.

Nekomaru scratched the back of his head, lost for words.

"I know that however I'm just worried about you, I left you alone," he began before Akane refused to listen to him completely become a downer once again.

She stood on her knees to get closer to him, her warm palms on his cheeks as she smiled feeling him completely melt.

"Stop talking please," she whispered with a small grin across her lips before they locked lips again, their hands sliding into each other's hair.

Was this all of Akane's dreaming and repressed thoughts finally coming into fruition? 

Perhaps.

The awkward silence only continued after they separated, the two laughing to themselves as their eyes kept firm contact with one another. 

"You're still the type to learn more through actions I see," he joked though Akane welcomed it for once. She felt his arms wrap comfortably around her waist though there was a certain uneasiness in his actions.

He seemed _nervous_ to get close to her, to touch her in an open, affectionate way—they had been used to training and fighting each other for a while however anytime there was any kind of romantic gesture they never brought it up.

This was different, they had confronted their feelings in the open, Akane hoped this meant change finally.

"Don't get all nervous, I'm not weak," she huffed with a soft smirk across her lips as his head rested on her shoulder tired as Akane laughed aloud.

"I'm serious, you don't need to treat me so soft, I'm your equal aren't I?" 

Nekomaru immediately responded, refusing to be hesitant whenever it came to the subject of Akane's willpower and their equal status as partners off and on the field.

"Of course, you know how I treat all my athletes _,_ you're my equal, you always have been even when you're a hard ass" he added as Akane slapped his shoulder jokingly.

"You are sometimes Akane." 

"I know, I know," she mumbled under her breath.

"But of course you're my equal." 

"Good, then nothing to worry about," she whispered before pressing a kiss to his exposed cheek, the team manager smiling widely. 

"What am I then? Your coach? Your _partner_?"

Akane felt her heart flutter at the word partner, she knew that they had always been referred to as sparring or training partners by everyone, even themselves, however this felt drastically different. 

"Battle loving troublemakers," she teased as Nekomaru laughed loudly, finally remembering that it had been Ibuki who had mentioned the phrase during their first encounter on the second island. 

"Battle loving partners has a nice ring to it," she winked.

"My partner." 

Akane chuckled softly though she felt everything in her face suddenly heat up for the third time in five minutes, it was _beyond_ cute to see him suggest what to call their newfound emotions and relationship.

The gymnast took his hand, the two interlocking fingers as she raised the hand; she felt Nekomaru press a kiss to her injured wrist. 

She sighed aloud, finally feeling sweet relief for the first time in years. She nodded at him before staring at their hands with pride.

"Partners." 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much, hope you all enjoyed, comments much appreciated and tumblr is @pxkopxkoyama xx


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